POSTINGS

BAND OF THE DAY #447 – Oyama

Oyama are the Japanese-named Reykjavik fivesome that have been storming through the European music scene since their inception in April 2012. A new band, maybe, but their sound is nothing less than mature. This five-piece have single-handedly brought the 90s shoe-gaze era into the 21st century; with influences drawn from Sonic Youth, Pixies and My Bloody Valentine, their music is self-described as “sleepy melodies wrapped in puffy clouds of noise and angsty peach fuzz.” Their compelling songs are built on multi-layered guitars that shimmer and roar, and sweetly discordant vocal harmonies that echo around the mind long after the song is over. After playing every night of Iceland Airways festival in 2012, it’s safe to say that they are one of 2013’s most promising acts.

BAND OF THE DAY #432 – Daniel Drumz

Another impressive act from our lead international focus for The Great Escape 2013 is an exciting young DJ called Daniel Drumz. Bounding with energy Daniel Drumz brings an elevated sense of excitement with his live sets. Showing a strong love and in-depth knowledge for hip-hop Daniel draws from old hip hop tunes and layers it with his own modern twist. Not only does he use hip hop he also incorporates a large span of genre’s including funk and soul.

Daniel emerged on the Poland music scene a few years ago and since then has been honing his skills behind the decks. This determination has payed off with results such as winning the Vestax POPDJ league title and opening for some of the world’s biggest and best hip-hop acts including Jay-Z and De La Soul. Turning his hand to producing, Daniel Drumz has recorded and worked with a vast range of different artists making him into a renowned producer and adding another accomplishment to his CV. His EP ‘Sleepless State Of Mind’ is out now on U Know Me Records.

BAND OF THE DAY #431 – Tres.b

Comparisons to Feist, Sonic Youth and The Smiths, are a lot for one band to live up to. Luckily, even with comparisons such as these, international band, Tres. B most definitely hold their own. And when we say international, we mean international. Consisting of Polish singer Misia Furtak, Danish/English drummer Thomas Pettit and Dutch/American vocalist/guitarist Olivier Heim, the band initially made a name for themselves in the Netherlands.

Their self released EP ‘Neon Chameleon’ and full length album ‘Scylla and Charybdis’ were both received to high acclaim with Dutch music magazine OOR writing, ‘Melancholic pop has rarely sounded nicer.’ It also helped add to the impressive comparisons stating that, ‘Misia Furtak sounds like a mixture between Bjork and PJ Harvey’

The band’s latest single is out now on iTunes, we recommend you get it before any more superstar comparisons come flying in.

BAND OF THE DAY #430 – Brodka

This may be hard to believe, but Brodka emerged on the music scene at the early age of 16, winning Polish Pop Idol in 2004. Eight years later having released three award-winning albums, Brodka is veering away from her pop music roots and is pursuing a more mature angle through alternative electro pop.

With richer life experience and a new artistic confidence, the sprite‐like vocalist has been recording in Los Angeles, working on her latest release, LAX. The new EP is a strong move in a positive direction combining an impressive vocal with sharp electronic production. Featuring remixes from fellow Polish Great Escapers, KAMP! and surprising home audiences by singing in English it seems Brodka is constantly developing and is now ready to break past her borders and pursue world domination.

Catch Brodka live in London at The Jazz Cafe on the 15th May, it’ll be a show not to be missed. For ticket details, click here.

BAND OF THE DAY #428 – Cousins

Hailing from Halifax, Canada, Cousins is the bare-bones garage-rock duo of Aaron Mangle on guitar/vocals and Leigh Dotey on drums. Together, they manifest Mangle’s quirky vision of sweet, heavy, raucous pop music.

Cousins’ fuzzed-out sound is both distorted and endearing, warm, melodic rock music delivered with a smile. Their latest release ‘The Palm At The End Of The Mind’ is filled with rhythmic drums and eerie multi tracked vocals creating a warm blanket of sound.

Under band interests they only have one word. Breakfast. Judging by their energetic live performances we can safely say that they are having the most important meal of the day.


BAND OF THE DAY #425 – Caitlin Park

Caitlin Park is a songwriter from Sydney, Australia. She takes folk and electro-acoustics to new heights with her abstract composition and sampling creating what is best described as folktronica. What differs Cailtlin even further is her inclusion of film nostalgia throughout her debut album, Milk Annual. Her songs are riddled with sound effects and dialogue taken from 1940/50s films, this came from having worked part time at a cult video store when she was younger and taking home film after film. Other samples she frequently uses are kids screaming, the clink of roped boats, struck matches and irregular heartbeats, these are all sitting behind the warm multi tracked vocal that creates interesting layered tracks that keep you finding new things after the fifth time of listening.

As well as creating brilliant soundscapes in the studio with the likes of Peter Broderick, Caitlin can take her individual sound on the road and has toured with the likes of James Vincent McMorrow, First Aid Kit and The Staves. Her use of layers creates a must see live experience.

BAND OF THE DAY #424 – Hungry Kids Of Hungary

Hungry Kids of Hungary aren’t actually from Hungary, they’re not kids and they’re not even hungry! In fact they are four gents from Australia creating catchy indie pop music. The group are the brainchild of drummer, Ryan Strathie and were formed after three of the members played in competing high school bands and formed a friendship by playing the same circuit and sharing stages. Their inspiration is a broad combination of Blues, Rock, Soul, R&B and 1960 style pop-rock. Whilst they are born out of these older influences they transform them into contemporary, rhythmic well balanced guitar tunes.

With fun, energetic songs paired with more fun and more energetic live performances the band are the full package. Sharing a resemblance to Vampire Weekend and Cold War Kids the band demonstrate an ability to match guitar riffs with sweet vocal harmonies. Their latest album You’re A Shadow, is out now.

BAND OF THE DAY #422 – Nick Mulvey Nick Mulvey really is the best kind of storyteller! With a simple but strong vocal tone and his guitar umbilically attached, he is a musician with a passion and talent as natural as holding a pen to write or a pencil to draw. Mulvey is like a diamond in the rough. His clear South London accent creates a natural feeling of familiarity, adding to the beauty of his lyrics, while his guitar gives a wealth of colour and atmosphere to his wonderful songs, drawing you into his world of stories.

BAND OF THE DAY #406 - Foam Lake

The story goes that Foam Lake chose the birthplace of their mother and resting place of their grandparents to use as their alias. The basement-born band is made up of four brothers who hail from deepest Canada.

So that’s the basics out of the way. More importantly is the sound these guys have been working away at. Their material ranges vastly from synth-heavy, electric guitar driven anthemic numbers which wouldn’t be out of place bouncing around stadiums, to gentle, twinkly string-tinged tunes that strike a chord with the likes of Elbow.

Foam Lake released their debut full length album in October. ‘Force and Matter’ sweeps from track to track whipping up a whole spectrum of moods along the way. We wholeheartedly advise you give them a spin and check them out live when the chance comes your way!

BAND OF THE DAY # 401 - Title Fight

Formed back in 2003, Pennsylvanian foursome Title Fight waited 8 years to release their first full length album, Shed, back in May 2011. After gaining a vast amount of fans and admirers, Title Fight quickly brought out album number two last September, a year later. Now with two firmly established albums, Title Fight boast a wealth of high-octane hardcore music full of punky guitar, screaming vocals and melodic interludes that bridges the gap between order and some kind of symmetry.

Currently touring across America, Title Fight will be bringing the noise with them across the pond to the UK in April before heading off on a tour across the rest of Europe.

BAND OF THE DAY # 400 - Scrufizzer


After just coming off a tour with Kendrick Lamar, Scrufizzer has been steadily bubbling in the UK urban underground scene, gaining fans and respect from fellow grime artist Dizzee Rascal along with other key musical figures such as Annie Mac and Zane Lowe. With a number of tracks that have been heavily circulating the underground scene the past year, Scrufizzer has been working with Stay Fizzy Records/Ministry of Sound which is home to some of the UK’s most prominent urban artists including DJ Fresh and Example.

Also known as ScruFace, the moniker he used as a 13 year-old producer from the streets of West London, the young artist has progressed from creating beats to writing his own tracks where he combines his love for production which encompasses jazzy influences from the early 20th Century and spans through to the G-Funk era of hip-hop whilst picking up on the latest grime sounds and styles around. Scrufizzer’s music is fun and full of life, accessible to those both already involved in a love for urban music and those who might not have embraced the energy and personality that is so evident in such a genre.

BAND OF THE DAY #393 - Sivu


On the 23rd January, Sivu uploaded the video for his first single, ‘Better Man Than He’. In less than two weeks it has racked up a whopping 209,795 hits on YouTube alone! Not only is the single a standout indie pop track but the video has caused such a stir for its innovative creativity.

The singer shot the entire piece inside an MRI scanning machine at St Bart’s Hospital in London. The result is a captivating piece of film that verges on creepy and engulfs us in curiosity. Contrasting the clinical nature of science with emotion-laden lyrics, it has something intriguing and radically interesting about it that so many artists fall short of creating.

The standout visuals have been a catalyst to the momentum that the edgy pop gem is picking up. 24 year old Sivu has practically filled the Internet with blog hype and has already found a home on Amazing Radio, BBC 6 Music, BBC R2 and BBC R1. Hailing from Cambridge (now residing in South London) and having teamed up with producer Charlie Andrew, this young man has more than a little in common with now-indie-superstars Alt J.

The year has got off to a cracking start for Sivu and we think there’s something very special about him. ‘Better Man Than He’ will ease you into your Monday and we guarantee it’ll be stuck on repeat before you know it. We just hope he doesn’t leave us hanging too long to hear more material. Make sure you check out the infamous video below.





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